Maureen Dowd says Joe Biden delivered an 'Irish Catholic wake up call' to President Obama --Barack the big loser in V.P. debate says top New York Times columnist

New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd has stated that Joe Bidendelivered an “Irish Catholic wake up” call to President Obama to get in thw game in Tuesday’s debate.

In her Sunday column, Dowd, the most read columnist in The Times and daughter of an Irish immigrant, stated that the debate was like Thanksgiving at her place.

“A donnybrook with Irish Catholic uncles and nephews interrupting one another, mocking one another, arguing over one another, bombastically denouncing every political opinion except their own as malarkey.”

Surprisingly, Dowdsays the big loser on Thursday night wasBarack Obamawhose passionless performance contrasts so hugely to how Biden performed and how Ryan spoke.

“The loser of the vice-presidential debate was, of course, Barack Obama. In contrast to the pair on the undercard slugging it out, the president’s limp performance the other night was even more inexplicable and inexcusable,” Dowd wrote.Dowd stated that “ It’s hard to imagine a politician getting penalized for smiling too much, but Joe Biden managed it, breaking out in smiles and laughter 92 times by the count of ABC News.”

However, Dowd believes thatBiden gave Obamaa second chance because “he offered a tour de force on facts that brought the playing field to life again.”

Dowd stated Ryan looked nervous at times.

“Ryan, who was a toddler when Biden first came to the Senate, seemed a little green and shaky at moments ... talking budget blarney, the Tea Party’s boy wonder once more proved that he can come up with a number for any purpose.”

She stated Biden’s biggest and strangest moment was when he “went on a one-minute scream-of-consciousness about the 47 percent cited by Romney as moochers, the 30 percent cited by Ryan as takers, Scranton, his parents, the Buffett rule, Social Security, veterans, the 47 percent again, Grover Norquist, the middle class, a fair shot, Wall Street vs. Main street, and $500 billion in additional tax cuts for 120,000 wealthy families. Practically in one breath. Whew.”

Like the rest of us Dowd will be watchingObama’s performance on Tuesday night very closely.

It is “Perils of Pauline” time. Has Biden thrown him a lifeline? Can the president clutch it? Tune in on Tuesday!